BlackBerry debuts Z30 smartphone in Australia

BlackBerry's new Z30 smartphone is on sale in Australia now through Optus business, while the flagship device will hit Telstra, Optus and Harvey Norman retail stores in the coming weeks.

BlackBerry's new Z30 smartphone

The Z30 is available now through Optus business, but will hit both Optus and Telstra retail stores from Tuesday, 29th October.

The smartphone will also be available through Harvey Norman retail stores from Friday, 1 November, and is available to pre-order now.

The launch of the Z30 in Australia comes in the midst of troubled times for BlackBerry, as speculation mounts about the future of the once dominant smartphone player.

The company put itself up for sale earlier this year after its BlackBerry 10 operating system and its Z10 smartphone failed to gain traction. Last week, it was widely reported that China's Lenovo Group is considering a bid for the company.

BlackBerry is still pushing its new operating system with the release of the Z30, but currently stands fourth in the global smartphone market behind Android, Apple's iOS and Microsoft's Windows Phone.

The BlackBerry Z30, as it appears on Harvey Norman's Web site.

The Z30 is described as BlackBerry's "biggest, fastest and most advanced smartphone yet". It has a large 5in super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280x720, is powered by a dual-core 1.7GHz processor, and has a large 2880mAh battery.

The Z30 is the first device to ship with the latest BlackBerry 10.2 operating system, an upgrade to the BlackBerry 10 OS unveiled earlier this year.

The major new addition is a 'Priority Hub' that can be configured to display high-priority communications and notifications, and display them on the lock screen.

The BlackBerry Z30 smartphone will retail for $749 in Australia, though Harvey Norman is currently taking pre-orders for $688, and Telstra will sell it for $672.

PCW Evaluation Team

I would recommend this device for families and small businesses who want one safe place to store all their important digital content and a way to easily share it with friends, family, business partners, or customers.

Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of IDG Communications is prohibited. Copyright 2013 IDG Communications.
ABN 14 001 592 650. All rights reserved.

Contact Us

With over 25 years of brand awareness and credibility, Good Gear Guide (formerly PC World Australia), consistently delivers editorial excellence through award-winning content and trusted product reviews.